André Roussimoff
Acting • Born 1946-05-19 – Died 1993-01-27
Biography
André René Roussimoff, known worldwide as André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor who gained international fame due to his extraordinary size, the result of a medical condition known as acromegaly (gigantism). Born on May 19, 1946, in Coulommiers, France, he was nicknamed “The Eighth Wonder of the World” and became one of the most iconic figures in professional wrestling during the 1970s and 1980s. Roussimoff began his wrestling career in 1966 in France under the name Jean Ferré, and his size quickly drew the attention of international promoters. In 1971, he moved to North America, where he was promoted by Vincent J. McMahon, founder of the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), as a global attraction. Renamed André the Giant, he remained one of the most popular wrestlers in the world for over a decade, known for his imposing presence and gentle demeanor. Throughout his career, André wrestled in various territories and promotions worldwide, including Japan, Canada, Europe, Australia, and the United States. He was a central figure in the wrestling boom of the 1980s, starring in one of the most iconic rivalries in sports entertainment history: his feud with Hulk Hogan, which culminated at the historic WrestleMania III (1987) before more than 93,000 fans. In that match, Hogan famously body-slammed André in what became known as the body slam heard around the world, a defining moment in WWF history. In 1988, André briefly won the WWF World Championship, only to immediately “sell” the title to Ted DiBiase in a storyline that led to the championship being declared vacant. In the following years, his health declined due to complications from acromegaly, though he remained active in the ring, particularly in Japan and Mexico with promotions such as All Japan Pro Wrestling and UWA. Parallel to wrestling, André pursued an acting career. His most beloved role was Fezzik in the film The Princess Bride (1987), a character he cherished and which cemented his status as a beloved figure outside the ring. He also appeared in other productions, such as Conan the Destroyer, The Six Million Dollar Man, and The Fall Guy, among others. In his personal life, André was known for his generosity, reserved personality, and legendary drinking feats—stories of which became part of wrestling folklore. He had a daughter, Robin Christensen, and spent his final years on a ranch in North Carolina. He passed away on January 28, 1993, in a Paris hotel due to heart failure, shortly after attending his father's funeral. His legacy endures as one of the most recognized and beloved figures in wrestling history. He was the first-ever inductee into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1993 and has been honored through documentaries, books, films, video games, and the creation of the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, an annual WWE event. He also inspired the visual artist Shepard Fairey, creator of the iconic “Obey” street art campaign. André the Giant was not just a wrestling legend but also a symbol of resilience, spectacle, and humanity in an industry defined by drama and exaggeration. His story is that of a man whose physical greatness was matched by a remarkable human spirit.
Filmography
144 credits
WWE Tribute to the Troops 2014
Movie • 2014
Andre (archive footage)
The Princess Bride
Movie • 1987
Fezzik
WrestleMania
Movie • 1985
André the Giant
Trading Mom
Movie • 1994
Circus Giant
WWE WrestleMania III
Movie • 1987
André the Giant
WWE WrestleMania V
Movie • 1989
André the Giant
WrestleMania II
Movie • 1986
André the Giant
Born to Controversy: The Roddy Piper Story
Movie • 2006
Self
WWF Hulkamania 2
Movie • 1987
Giant Machine
Villains of the Squared Circle
Movie • 1986
Andre the Giant
WWE World Tour 1992
Movie • 1992
Andre the Giant (Manager)
WWE World Tour 1991
Movie • 1991
André The Giant (Manager)
I Like To Hurt People
Movie • 1985
Self - Andre the Giant
WWE Royal Rumble 1990
Movie • 1990
Andre the Giant
WWE SummerSlam 1989
Movie • 1989
Himself
Hollywood Hulk Hogan: Hulk Still Rules
Movie • 2002
Himself
WCW Clash of The Champions XX: 20th Anniversary
Movie • 1992
André the Giant (Appearance)
WWE WrestleMania VI
Movie • 1990
André The Giant
WWE SummerSlam 1991
Movie • 1991
André The Giant (Ringside)
WWE Survivor Series 1988
Movie • 1988
André The Giant
WWE: The Top 25 Rivalries in Wrestling History
Movie • 2013
WWE Survivor Series 1987
Movie • 1987
Andre The Giant
WWE U.K. Rampage 1991
Movie • 1991
André the Giant (Ringside)
The Ultimate Warrior
Movie • 1990
The History Of WrestleMania
Movie • 1994
The Real Rocky
Movie • 2011
Self (archive footage)
WWE Showdown at Shea '80
Movie • 1980
André the Giant
Fan Favorites
Movie • 1989
Andre The Giant
Micki & Maude
Movie • 1984
Self
More Saturday Night's Main Event
Movie • 1989
Andre the Giant: Larger than Life
Movie • 1999
Himself
WWE: Best of WWE at Madison Square Garden
Movie • 2013
Himself
WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology
Movie • 2006
André the Giant
Wrestling's Bloopers, Bleeps, & Bodyslams
Movie • 1985
Andre the Giant
WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time
Movie • 2010
Andre the Giant
Hulkamania 3
Movie • 1988
André the Giant
Legends of Mid-South Wrestling
Movie • 2013
Andre the Giant
Best of the WWF Volume 3
Movie • 1985
André the Giant
Hulkamania 4
Movie • 1989
André the Giant
The Best of the WWF: volume 4
Movie • 1985
André the Giant
The Best of the WWF: volume 5
Movie • 1986
André the Giant
Bret Hart: The Dungeon Collection
Movie • 2013
Himself
The Best of the WWF: volume 12
Movie • 1987
Giant Machine
The Best of the WWF: volume 9
Movie • 1986
André the Giant
The Best of the WWF: volume 10
Movie • 1987
Giant Machine
The Best of the WWF: volume 14
Movie • 1987
André the Giant
The Best of the WWF: volume 16 Around the World
Movie • 1988
André the Giant
The Best of the WWF: volume 17
Movie • 1988
André the Giant
The Best of the WWF: volume 19
Movie • 1989
André the Giant
Most Unusual Matches
Movie • 1985
Andre the Giant
Mid-South Wrestling Giants, Midgets, Heroes & Villains vol. 1
Movie • 2007
André the Giant
Giants, Midgets, Heroes and Villains II
Movie • 2008
André the Giant
Best of the WWF Volume 1
Movie • 1985
André the Giant
Best of the WWF Volume 2
Movie • 1985
André the Giant
Wrestling's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest!
Movie • 1985
Andre the Giant
Rowdy Roddy Piper's Greatest Hits
Movie • 1985
Andre the Giant
The Life And Times of Paul Boesch
Movie • 1994
Andre the Giant (archive footage)
The Wrestling Queen
Movie • 1973
"The Giant" Jean Ferre
Macho Madness - The Randy Savage Ultimate Collection
Movie • 2009
WWE Superstars & Stripes Forever: The March to WrestleMania VII
Movie • 1991
André the Giant (Appearance)
WWE U.K. Rampage 1988
Movie • 1988
André the Giant
WWE Los Angeles Wrestling: July '88
Movie • 1988
André the Giant
WWE Los Angeles Wrestling: August '88
Movie • 1988
André the Giant
WWE Los Angeles Wrestling: January '89
Movie • 1989
André the Giant
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: September '84
Movie • 1984
André the Giant
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: October '84
Movie • 1984
André the Giant
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: November '85
Movie • 1985
André the Giant
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: March '86
Movie • 1986
André the Giant
WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: July '84
Movie • 1984
André the Giant
WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: October '84
Movie • 1984
André the Giant
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: April '88
Movie • 1988
André the Giant
WWE Royal Rumble 1988
Movie • 1988
André the Giant (Contract Signing)
Conan the Destroyer
Movie • 1984
Dagoth (uncredited)
The Claw
Movie • 2021
Himself
The Life and Times of Captain Lou Albano
Movie • 1986
Andre the Giant
Andre the Giant
Movie • 2018
Self (archive footage)
WWE: The History Of The WWE Championship
Movie • 2006
WWE: True Giants
Movie • 2014
WWE: Andre The Giant
Movie • 2005
Himself
WWE: Hulk Hogan's Unreleased Collector's Series
Movie • 2009
André the Giant
WWE Unreleased: 1986-1995
Movie • 2017
Andre the Giant
Movie • 1985
André the Giant (archive footage)
WWF/AJPW/NJPW Wrestling Summit
Movie • 1990
Randy Savage Unreleased: The Unseen Matches of The Macho Man
Movie • 2018
WWF: Best of Wrestlemania I-XIV
Movie • 1998
Casse-tête chinois pour le judoka
Movie • 1967
Fighter
WWE: Legends of Wrestling - Andre the Giant and Iron Sheik
Movie • 2010
WWF: Best of Hulkamania
Movie • 1992
WWE: Wrestlemania Recall
Movie • 2005
Andre the Giant
WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event
Movie • 2009
Andre the Giant
WWE: 150 Best Pay-Per-View Matches, Vol 1
Movie • 2014
Himself
The History of WWE: 50 Years of Sports Entertainment
Movie • 2013
Self
You Cannot Kill David Arquette
Movie • 2020
Self (archive footage)
WWE WrestleMania IV
Movie • 1988
André the Giant
WWE SummerSlam 1988
Movie • 1988
André The Giant
WWE WrestleFest
Movie • 1988
André the Giant
WWE Royal Rumble 1989
Movie • 1989
André the Giant
WWE Survivor Series 1989
Movie • 1989
André the Giant
WCCW Fritz Von Erich Retirement Show
Movie • 1982
André the Giant
WWE The Ultimate Challenge Special: The March to WrestleMania VI
Movie • 1990
André The Giant
NWA The Last Tangle in Tampa
Movie • 1980
André The Giant
AJPW October Giant Series 1992 - Day 17
Movie • 1992
Andre The Giant
WWE The Big Event
Movie • 1986
Giant Machine
WWE The Main Event
Movie • 1988
André the Giant
WWE WrestleMania VII
Movie • 1991
André the Giant (Ringside)
WWF Summer Flashback!
Movie • 1997
André The Giant
WWE at Madison Square Garden: October 17, 1983
Movie • 1983
André the Giant
The WWF's Amazing Managers
Movie • 1985
Andre the Giant
Hulk Hogan: Real American
Movie • 1989
Andre the Giant
Macho Madness
Movie • 1988
Andre the Giant
Best of The British Bulldog
Movie • 1993
Andre the Giant (Archive footage)
Inside the Steel Cage
Movie • 1986
Andre the Giant
Wrestling's Greatest Champions
Movie • 1991
Andre the Giant
WWE Battle Royal at the Albert Hall
Movie • 1991
Andre the Giant (Archive footage)
Wrestling's Most Embarrassing Moments
Movie • 1987
Andre the Giant
Warrior's Greatest Matches
Movie • 2014
Andre The Giant (Archive Footage)
The Greatest Stars of the 80's
Movie • 2005
Andre the Giant (Archive Footage)
The Hulkster Hulk Hogan
Movie • 1985
Andre the Giant
Giants: Friends or Foe
Movie • 2003
Self- Archive Footage
The Best of the WWF: volume 20
Movie • 1989
André the Giant
WWF Prime Time Wrestling
TV • 1985
Biography: WWE Legends
TV • 2021
André the Giant (archive footage)
WWE's Most Wanted Treasures
TV • 2021
André the Giant (archive footage)
The Six Million Dollar Man
TV • 1974
Bigfoot
WWF Wrestling Challenge
TV • 1986
Giant Machine
WWF Wrestling Challenge
TV • 1986
André the Giant
The Best of WWE
TV • 2020
Andre the Giant
WWE The Main Event
TV • 1988
Mr. McMahon
TV • 2024
Andre The Giant (Archive Footage)
Saturday Night's Main Event
TV • 1985
Andre The Giant
WWF All-Star Wrestling
TV • 1975
Andre the Giant
World Class Championship Wrestling
TV • 1982
André the Giant
WWE Old School
TV • 1973
Andre the Giant
Mid-South Wrestling
TV • 1981
Andre the Giant
Mid-South Wrestling
TV • 1981
Andre the Giant (Archive footage)
Saturday Night's Main Event
TV • 1985
Andre the Giant
Tuesday Night Titans
TV • 1984
Andre the Giant
WWF Wrestling Challenge
TV • 1986
Andre the Giant
WWF Championship Wrestling
TV • 1980
Andre the Giant
WWF Championship Wrestling
TV • 1980
Andre the Giant (Self)
WWF Championship Wrestling
TV • 1980
"The Eighth Wonder of the World" Andre the Giant
WWE Rivals
TV • 2022
Andre the Giant
Clash of the Champions
TV • 1988
Andre the Giant (Appearance)
WWE Pay Per View
TV • 1985
André The Giant